From the office to the barn: my very own journey to working from home
From the office to the barn: my very own journey to working from home
communication instead of chaos
If you had told me a few years ago that I would be working out of an old pool house, I would probably have laughed at you. But we had our chic office in Bremen’s Überseestadt district! Concrete, glass, stylish meeting spaces – a place with a really good spirit. Unfortunately, there was usually no one there. We were constantly on the road, I myself flew all over Germany three to four times a week. It’s completely crazy when I think about it today.
Then came corona. First there was the forced break, then we got used to working from home. And at some point it became clear that we no longer needed an office. So we pulled the ripcord in 2021. Not an easy step, but one that felt damn right. And of course, we said goodbye with a legendary farewell party. At four o’clock in the morning, all of us completely exhausted – one of us even missed his flight to Gran Canaria. The perfect ending.
From pool party to home office
I still wanted to have my own place to work. So I converted our old pool house. Sounds cool? It wasn’t at all at first. The pool was completely ruined. When I went to drain the water, a fountain shot up to the ceiling. Total damage. So I took out the pool, put in a new floor, huge window fronts – and my office was finished.
The transition period? Pure chaos. I was surrounded by building dust and tools, living with four people in a tiny vacation apartment in between: homeschooling, home office, a newborn, managing the building site. Complete chaos, but somehow we pulled it off.
Today, I enjoy every second here. I can organize my time more freely, mow the lawn for half an hour at lunchtime – totally meditative for me – and I save myself almost an hour and a half of commuting every day. But how do you keep a team together when no one comes into the office anymore?
How our remote team works
In the beginning, it was a real learning process. Just because everyone works from home doesn’t mean it works automatically. So we set our own rules:
- Friday is team day – no customer appointments, but meetings that sometimes cover private topics.
- The “check-in deck” – everyone can quickly show how they’re doing. Is the sun shining or is there a storm? That way, everyone knows without having to explain themselves. Check-In Deck
- Workation instead of the office – Once a year, we meet up in a really cool place, work and spend time together. workation 2025
- Company vacation at Christmas and New Year – Switch off together and recharge your batteries – plannable and stress-free for everyone.
- BDEV – A day several times a year when we work together on big ideas and take our company forward.
- Clear rules of cooperation – So that we all know what we can rely on Rules of cooperation
And what do customers say?
The changeover was not only exciting for us, but also for our customers. We used to hold all-day workshops with coffee breaks and lunch. Today, the meetings are crisp and focused – and that is unusual for many people at first. Of course, all the workshop formats also had to be adapted.
And then there’s always this one question: “Where are you actually sitting?” When I say that we no longer have an office, many people are initially confused. The next question comes almost automatically: “How do you manage to work as a team?” As soon as I talk about our rituals, it quickly becomes clear that this is not a cost-cutting measure, but a conscious decision.
Work-life balance?
Challenge accepted!
A true remote classic: how do you separate work and private life when your desk is just a few steps away from the sofa?
I’m lucky, my office is in its own building. But I know that it’s not that easy for many people. So we have clear rules in the team:
- No pressure to answer immediately.
- Everyone works at their own pace – in the morning or in the evening.
- Consciously plan breaks and allow the laptop to be used from time to time.
For me personally, that’s a challenge. I’m the type of person who finds it hard to switch off. But I know it’s not because of the office or working from home – it’s just my thing.
Do I miss the office?
Honestly? No. Of course there are moments when I think: Wouldn’t an office be better? But then I realize that the other location is not the solution. Structure, clear communication and cohesion must also work remotely.
And my favorite moment in my new everyday life? When my daughter comes home from kindergarten, runs across the yard and asks if she can come in. I nod – and she climbs up the stairs into my office.
Priceless.
“It was the right move for us – and I would do it again any time. But that doesn’t mean it works the same for all companies.”
